Civil society organizations are urging the IFC to strengthen its Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability to better address the impacts of industrial agriculture and food systems on people, animals, and the environment. You can read the full submission here.

The letter argues that IFC currently underestimates environmental and social risks, especially in large-scale industrial livestock operations. It highlights problems such as: pollution, climate emissions, biodiversity loss, human rights violations, poor labor conditions, community health impacts, and inadequate animal welfare protections. These impacts are often cumulative, occur in vulnerable communities, and extend across supply chains, yet IFC assessments frequently consider only the immediate project scope.

Key cross-cutting recommendations include:

  • Expanding responsibility for upstream and downstream supply-chain impacts (e.g., feed production, transport, slaughter).

  • Strengthening protections for human rights, workers, Indigenous Peoples, and affected communities.

  • Incorporating animal welfare standards into the Performance Standards.

  • Improving transparency, stakeholder engagement, and grievance mechanisms.

  • Aligning IFC policies with global climate, biodiversity, and sustainable development goals.

  • Specific revisions to each Performance Standard, including stronger requirements on greenhouse gas emissions, pollution control, labor conditions, biodiversity protection, land rights, and community health.

  • Mandatory value-chain assessments, stricter mitigation hierarchy implementation, and potential exclusion of certain forms of industrial animal agriculture financing.

Overall, this submission (which follows a joint open letter shared in April 2025) urges the IFC to update its standards to prevent environmental and social harm across food system supply chains and support a transition to sustainable, humane, and locally beneficial food systems.

Check out the full submission: “Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability: High-level concerns with current IFC approach”